Recently on Cyclingnews.com

Latest Cycling News for August 17, 2006

Edited by Anthony Tan

Former Liberty five: 2/5 cleared

Others still in limbo

By Anthony Tan

After their 'assumed' involvement as the UCI phrased it, two out of the
five former Liberty Seguros-Würth riders implicated in the Operación Puerto
affair have been cleared to race by the sport's governing body.

In fact, Alberto Contador and Sergio Paulinho were officially cleared
soon after the Tour de France finished, Astana press officer Jacinto Vidarte
told Cyclingnews: "That's true. Paulinho and Contador can ride
again," he said. "Actually, Paulinho did the Tour of Germany, and Contador
did the Tour of Burgos in Spain. I don't know exactly, but it was almost
one month ago, just after the finish of the Tour de France, more or less."

Around the same time Paulinho and Contador were cleared by the UCI, all
five riders - the others being Allan Davis, Joseba Beloki and Isidro Nozal
- received a certified letter from the Spanish judge presiding over the
case, indicating they had no involvement with Operación Puerto. However,
UCI president Pat McQuaid said this letter did not permit any of
the quintet to resume racing.

"You have to be a little bit careful here," warned McQuaid, "because
the letter which they have received, is a letter saying that are not involved
in any legal investigation; that is separate from an anti-doping investigation.

"All he [the Spanish judge] told them is that he's not going to be pressing
charges against them - but that doesn't mean the UCI won't be opening
up a disciplinary file against any one of them," he said to Cyclingnews.

McQuaid added the UCI has told Astana (the team formerly known as Liberty
Seguros-Würth) which riders are not under investigation - meaning Davis,
Beloki and Nozal may still be involved. If that is the case, the UCI will
then forward a dossier for that rider to the respective national cycling
federation, and together with that country's anti-doping agency, a further
disciplinary process will commence against them.

Explaining the case of Allan Davis, McQuaid said: "If there's going to
be a case against him, we will provide the Australian [cycling] federation
with a dossier, and if it's not already gone from our office, it will
be going in the coming days. If there's a disciplinary process [against
Davis], the Australian cycling federation along with the Australian anti-doping
agency would open up the process again."

When Cyclingnews contacted Davis on Monday this week, he said
the Australian Cycling Federation (ACF) had been in contact, but was yet
to receive a letter or dossier from the UCI. "I've been wanting to talk
to Pat McQuaid and ask why it's taking so long, because I know Paulinho
and Contador have been taken off the list - I don't know how or why...

"At the moment, it hasn't really changed since my last statement," said
Davis, who asked Cyclingnews to publish a statement protesting
his innocence on July 27, where he invited the "UCI, ACF, Spanish Judicial
system or whoever needs to, to carry out a DNA test to finally clear my
name from all of this".

"I haven't been asked to do any tests or anything... it's frustrating,
I'll tell you right now," he said on Monday from his European home in
Spain.

"I've got lawyers into it; I've got one in Australia taking care of things,
and I think I'm just about to get one here in Spain, too. Just a matter
of time, really... I just really want to say it's all over with next time
I talk - I don't really want to talk about a drug investigation I've got
nothing to do with; it just looks even worse."

Responded McQuaid: "Bear in mind that this is an ongoing investigation
- it's something that finished the day we were given those names.

"What you cannot underestimate is the amount of work we've had to do
to extract the 58 names from the 500 page dossier that we've got, and
to create 58 files on each rider in relation to whether there is a possible
anti-doping offence or not. Out of the 58 riders, not all of them will
be going forward to be disciplined; I don't know exactly what the number
is, but it's an ongoing process, and we're still heavily involved in it,"
he said.

Astana's PR officer Jacinto Vidarte also told Cyclingnews a number
of Spanish riders cleared by the UCI are still unable to race. "Here in
Spain, the UCI has given authorisation [to race] for some Spanish riders,
but the Spanish federation said no - that they can't ride for the moment,"
Vidarte said.

However, the UCI president did confirm the dossier of Ivan Basso had
been sent to the Italian cycling federation. On Monday, the Swiss cycling
federation announced receipt of the dossier of Jan Ullrich, indicating
both riders are due to face disciplinary action in the near future.

Swiss court re-opens Camenzind EPO case

By Susan Westemeyer

Team Phonak can't seem to stay away from doping headlines, even if the
case is two years old and the rider has long since retired. Oscar Camenzind,
who was under contract to Phonak, was found to have used EPO in the summer
of 2004, and promptly announced his retirement.

At the time, Camenzind refused to give the name of the person who had
provided him with the EPO. He claimed the right not to incriminate himself,
telling the court he could face further charges if the supplier was brought
to trial in another country. The Swiss Justice Ministry confirmed this
possibility, and the Swiss investigators closed the case in December last
year.

However, the Swiss Kantonsgericht has sent the case back to the investigating
judge Martin Eichenberger, saying it has a different opinion from the
Berzirksamt which closed the case. Eichenberger will look into the matter
again.

3 Molinos Resort says goodbye

By Antonio J. Salmeron

After 3 Molinos Resort manager Josefina Alcaráz previously assured the
media the team's "firm intention of continuity, despite a drastic reduction
in size and operating expenses", their credibility fell through yesterday
when they announced an end to the team.

Spanish Professional Cyclists Association president Jose Rodriguez, accompanied
by a jurist, travelled to Murcia to speak with Alcaraz and lawyer Angel
Hernandez, where the definitive terms of the settlement were carried out.

Those affected are 22 cyclists, three technical staff, a sports director
and a doctor. After almost five hours of discussion, it was unanimously
decided the team should be disbanded, with the cyclists to receive three
months' advance payment, and leaving them free to negotiate new contracts.

"It is a pity they were not able to guarantee the continuity of the squad.
We have done our part and I think one has reached a good agreement," said
Rodriguez to El Faro de Murcia.

Alcaráz echoed these comments, adding, "From now on, we are going to
work on returning shortly to the world of the cycling, but with a total
reconstruction and the objective of not falling into the errors that were
previously committed."

"In addition," said Alcaráz, "we have the intention to create a new system
of management and our vision is to create a young group with the commitment
to work in a clean sport. We have a renewed vision and we think a lot
can be done in this sport."

Solid start for Caisse d'Epargne in Eneco

With Iván Gutiérrez and Alexei Markov fourth and seventh after Wednesday's
prologue at the Eneco Tour, Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears team manager
José Luis Jaimerena was cautiously optimistic about the week ahead.

"We are here to obtain the best result we will be able to, but we are
of course conscious of the fact that the race will be a tough one, because
of the strong wind that is sure to blow on the Dutch and Belgian roads,"
said Jaimerena in a team statement.

"We can expect the field to break in several parts at any time. It will
be very important to remain careful during the whole stage, every day.
We take the start of the event with the intention of winning at least
one stage, without of course forgetting the general classification. Thanks
to the two time trials, Iván Gutiérrez is the man with the most possibilities
to do that, without forgetting the Reynes-Markov duet in the case of a
sprint."

Kroon leads CSC in Eneco opener

Finishing nine seconds down on winner Stefan Schumacher in yesterday's
Eneco Tour prologue in Den Helder was enough to give Team CSC's Karsten
Kroon 12th place. Given the prologue is not his speciality, the performance
underlies the Dutchman's motivation to do well, said directeur sportif
Tristan Hoffman.

"Karsten did excellent in a discipline, which is definitely not his specialty.
The tough stages later on suit him fine, and I believe he has a good chance
to be up front in the general classification," Hoffman said on team-csc.com.
"He has specifically prepared himself for the Eneco Tour and hopes to
be in top form for the remainder of the season."

Klöden back after a rest

By Susan Westemeyer

Andreas Klöden has used the three weeks since the Tour de France ended
to rest up and recuperate. Now he's ready to go again. "I took it pretty
easy during this time," the T-Mobile rider said on his Web site, www.andreas-kloeden.com.

"I didn't do too much in training - no more than four hours easy training
a day was enough to bring my muscles, which desperately needed this break,
back into shape. And my head is clear again for the rest of the season."

He has moved back into the racing scene in the Rothaus Regio-Tour in
Germany. "After a three weeks racing pause, my body needs a few kilometres
to really get into drive, but then I hope for a good race!"

Things didn't get off to a good start, though, as he was involved in
a crash which sent two other riders to the hospital. Klöden and team-mate
Michael Rogers both fell, but were able to finish the race and are expected
to start again today. "Tonight we will see how the two are doing," said
directeur sportif Valerio Piva. Klöden finished the stage in the main
group, six seconds behind winner Danilo Hondo.

Colavita/Cooking Light women's team heads to UCI's top tier

Vvying for the number 1 ranking in the U.S., the Colavita/Cooking Light
Women's Cycling Team will enter the 2007 racing season as a registered
UCI team, according to director Jim Williams of Team Sports, Inc.

So far, the Colavita/Cooking Light women's team will be the only UCI-registered
women's squad based out of the U.S. next season, as the women's T-Mobile
squad will move its headquarters to Germany, merging with the men's team.
Colavita/Cooking Light plans to add a number international races to its
racing calendar for next year, including the Giro del Trentino Femminile
and Giro d'Italia Donne [women's Giro d'Italia].

"We're proud of the UCI registration, as it offers us the opportunity
to compete at a world-class level," said Williams. "We are particularly
excited about the prospect of racing in the Giro d'Italia Donne because
of the Italian heritage of our co-title sponsor, Colavita USA."

One of the most important races on the women's racing calendar, the 10-stage,
900-kilometre Giro d'Italia Donne attracts the some of most accomplished
riders from the top UCI squads, as well as major national teams throughout
the world.

"The entire Colavita family in Molise will be on hand to cheer for the
team colours," said John Profaci, Vice President of Marketing for Colavita
USA. Added Chris Allen, Vice President and Publisher of co-title sponsor
CookingLight, "We're honoured that the Colavita/ Cooking Light Women's
Cycling Team will represent us at two of the most important sporting events
in Italy."

The Colavita/Cooking Light Women's Cycling Team is finalising its roster
for the 2007 season. Riders and a preliminary racing schedule will be
announced in September.